Ford Mustang

#218, Author Mike Mueller on the Complete Book of Ford Mustang

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:50 — 46.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreMike Mueller is an automotive expert among automotive experts. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has written and provided accompanying photography for more than 30 books on the Ford Mustang. He’s contributed images to many additional books and he’s written for many prestigious industry publications. Mueller is my guest this week on episode No. 218 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, so Mueller and I discuss his latest and just-released updated and revised book, The Complete Book of Ford Mustang. Ford Mustang: A nearly 60-year icon It’s a coffee table-sized volume with more than 550 color photographs

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2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E: Yes, It’s A (Great) Mustang!

Introduced slightly more than two years ago, The Ford Mustang Mach-E, a battery-electric compact crossover SUV, went on sale a year later to a resounding, universal reaction — that’s a Mustang? Mustang purists scoffed at the 2021 debut model describing it as automotive sacrilege. Other car buyers viewed the BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) as innovative — what’s this new Mustang all about? 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E: It’s Different Ford viewed its new vehicle with its Mustang nameplate, Mustang identifiers and a Mach-E moniker as a way to differentiate itself from other EV newbies. It’s succeeded. Ford’s first fully-electric crossover SUV offers good looks, comfort, performance and economy. It’s just a Mustang of another breed. The rear-wheel-drive Mach-E with a standard

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#212, 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost named Car of the Year

Early in 2021, a teenage boy witnessed a colleague and me exit a 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost at a local sandwich shop. He approached us, looked at my friend and said: “Excuse me, sir. What kind of job do I need to get to afford a car like that?” A few hours later while waiting in the Ghost at a stoplight two men in a vehicle to my right that may not have made it to its destination, caught my attention. Before the light changed, they uncorked a jubilant dance of synchronized hand signs and body gestures. I didn’t know what the display meant, but I’m certain it was a good thing. Far more expensive vehicles exist. But the Ghost, with

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Top tips for purchasing your first classic car

If you’re a classic car enthusiast, it’s likely you’ve considered or will contemplate buying a vintage vehicle. Whether it’s a 1968 Ford Mustang or a classic Cadillac, there’s much to consider: Is the car you’re considering worth its price or does the vehicle have undiagnosed mechanical issues that will cost a fortune to maintain. Buying A Classic Car? Research Here are some tips to consider when purchasing your first classic. You’ll shop like a veteran car buyer and have a better chance of not making a costly mistake. Run Away From Rust Rust can be a deal-breaker for a used car, but when considering a vehicle that may be 30 to 50 years old, rust is expected. But to what

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Aston Martin, James Bond: No Time To Die

What would a James Bond movie be without iconic cars doing the impossible? OK, there’s espionage, guns, chase scenes, adventures in exotic places, tuxedos, pretty women in slinky dresses, villains and a martini or two (shaken, not stirred). But other than that, fans of the 24 films (and soon to be 25 movies) in the franchise need to see cars, notably various Aston Martin vehicles. Aston Martin needs the James Bond movies. The James Bond movies need Aston Martin. In the final preview before the nationwide debut of No Time To Die on Oct. 8, cars are in the mix, including a homage to yesteryear with protruding automatic weapons all the rage. James Bond: Retired? Not So Much The premise

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Used pickup truck prices surge, notably Ram and GMC

If you’re considering the purchase of a new used pickup truck, be forewarned. The prices may be alarming, notably for a Ram 1500 or GMC Sierra 1500. Both trucks are among the top-10 vehicles with the greatest prices increases, according to a recent survey by iseecars.com. The automotive search engine and research website tallied the datasets for 1.1 million used car sales from model years 2016 to 2020 in June 2021 and more than 800,00 used car sales from 2015 to 2019 in June 2020. Pickup truck prices surge The average price increase from June 2000 to June 2021 among all vehicles is 32.7 percent. The Ram 1500 pickup had an average used price of $40,200 in June of 2021,

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2021 BMW M3 Competition: worthy showoff, fat wallet needed

A guy in a gas station parking lot with a stern look that quickly turned to a big smile asked if we could switch cars. Another onlooker boasted he had the best BMW ever made but that mine looked pretty good. Unsolicited commenters hated the matted exterior color and split “kidney grilles.” Other onlookers couldn’t offer superlatives fast enough. Key Takeaways Sixth-generation M3 debuts with 503 hp and 479 lb-ft: A turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six paired with an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive delivers a 3.5-second 0-60 mph run. Price escalates from $73,795 base to $104,245 as-tested: Carbon ceramic brakes alone add $8,150, with the M Carbon Exterior Package another $4,700 and the M Driver’s top-speed increase $2,500. Polarizing design draws

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22 ways to update and customize a car if you want to

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT One great thing about owning a vehicle is you can customize it.  If you decide to do so, lots of choices are available for many parts of the vehicle. Here’s a list of areas to consider: Tires Choosing high-performance tires can improve the car’s grip on the roar and reduce fuel costs. Big Brake Kits Car owners who opt for bigger or modified wheels are increasingly installing bigger brake kits. Often, bigger brake kits are more attractive. More important, larger options improving stopping efficiency, withstand higher road temperatures and keep brakes cool longer. Wheels Aftermarket wheels are a great way to customize your car. if combined with a new, larger brake it and higher-end performance and tires, and

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#187, Cars.com index: Tesla, the most American made

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:08 — 38.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreTesla innovation has changed the automotive world with a lot of industry firsts. Its latest designation is the top spot on the latest American Made Index (AMI). Introduced 16 years ago by the editors of Cars.com, the AMI analyzes a range of factors to determine the  percentage of new cars and trucks made American Kelsey Mays, the assistant managing editor at the online motoring website that debuted in 1998, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. He discusses with co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia the latest index result and Tesla’s top spot. “We like to think that the index

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America’s freeways: the land of spilled milk and money

Freeways full of bees spilled milk, frozen pizza and money? Who knew? They could have been scenes from comedy movies or low-level horror films. And since no one was seriously hurt, a little humor seems just fine when discussing some of the unusual cargo that’s fallen or spilled off trucks traveling the country’s freeways. The industry site freightwaves.com has documented odd circumstances when something’s gone wrong — 14 million bees in on the I-5 median at the I-405 interchange near Lynwood, Washington to the hundreds of pizzas spilled on the intersection of two freeways in Little Rock, Arkansas on I-30, near of I-430. Freeways are often full of unsafe stuff A payload of milk spilled in a crash on the

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Auction set: 2021 Ford Bronco, Mustang Mach 1

The first 2021 Ford Bronco 2-door (VIN 001) and first 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 (VIN 001), two highly coveted vehicles, will be auctioned for charity by Ford Motor Company and Barrett-Jackson at the Scottsdale Auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale, March 20-27, 2021. One-hundred percent of the winning from the Ford Bronco VIN 001 will benefit National Forest Foundation and Outward Bound. Both are part of the new Bronco Wild Fund mission to connect people to the outdoors. The total sale price of the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 VIN 001 will benefit JDRF, the non-profit organization’s efforts against type 1 diabetes. Auto Icons: Ford Bronco, Ford Mustang “The 2021 Ford Bronco 2-door VIN 001 and 2021 Mustang Mach 1

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Hey, Ford Mustang owners! What to do next

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car manufactured since 1964 and features six generations. If you’ve treated yourself to one of the current generation Mustangs built since 2015, here’s a guide to improving your vehicle’s performance and handling to better than when it rolled off the assembly line. Upgraded Security Mustangs are so popular, they’re ripe for theft. With that in mind, it’s worth upgrading the vehicle’s security systems. But did you know thieves can steal your car without the key fob? Using a laptop computer and a device held near your front door to scan for remote fob transmissions coming from inside your home, thieves can quickly steal a vehicle. They can clone the signal

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#163, The Weekly Driver Podcast’s Cars of the Year

Welcome to the 14th annual Cars of the Year list, selected by TheWeeklyDriver.com. This year, co-host Bruce Aldrich and I announce the top-10 list on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Bruce and I individually picked 10 vehicles from the nearly 40 cars and trucks in 2020 models I reviewed and Bruce drove. Neither of us was surprised. Our choices for cars of the year were nearly identical, including our No. 1 choice, the 2020 Corvette Stingray. Unlike many publications, we wait until the end of the year to announce our selections. A year’s perspective is important. Cars of the Year Here are The Weekly Driver Podcast’s choices for 2020 (with prices), followed by cars of the year

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2020 Corvette Stingray chosen Car of the Year

The 2020 Corvette Stingray is rare in the automotive universe. Envisioned for decades and initiated eight years ago, the mid-engined sports car revitalized the faltering brand. It’s TheWeeklyDriver.com’s Car of the Year. Every new car is promoted with a mess of adjectives best-suited for romance paperbacks. The Corvette deserves the rabid praise. After years of diminishing sales, the new eighth-generation is unlike any previous Corvette, influenced by Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren masters. Specs are impressive: a 6.2-liter V8, top-speed of 194 mph and 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds. It’s an exotic, equally well-suited on the track and as a daily driver. Top-line cost is $78,000, less than half of top competitors. Car of the Year Here are the remaining top-10

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2020 Bullitt Mustang ideal for the Steve McQueen in all of us

A 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback and a 2004 Pontiac Aztek are as far apart on the automotive spectrum as possible — with one exception. With a few dozen other vehicles — an Aston Martin DB5 to AMC Pacer and a Plymouth Fury to Pontiac Trans AM — the Mustang and Aztek are cultural icons. Younger automotive and movie enthusiasts may only know the Aztek from the “Breaking Bad” series on Netflix or a Toyota MK IV Supra from the movie “The Fast and the Furious.” But the Bullitt Mustang, released in three time frames in the past 20 years, dates to the 1968 movie “Bullitt.” Bullitt Mustang: Relevant Then, Now Actor Steve McQueen epitomized coolness as Police detective Frank

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2020 Dodge Charger ultimate family muscle car

The Dodge Charger began as a concept vehicle in the 1940s, debuted in production in 1966 and gained its fame as the car driven by the bad guy in the 1968 movie Bullitt. Steve McQueen pursued the Charger and its stuntman driver Bill Hickman on the hilly streets of San Francisco in his 1968 Ford Mustang. The scenes defined muscle car bravado. Not much has changed in the past half-century. The Charger and Mustang, in their best performance trims, remain iconic. They’re modernized, more powerful and both retain a link to the past. The 2020 Dodge Charger knows its strengths. Hit the accelerator hard on a straightway, hear the growl and feel the power of 5.7-liter, 485 horsepower engine with

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